Best U.S. airline?
 

After reading Skytrax, it seems that all U.S. airlines are equally good (or bad). Most rate a 3 out of 5 (although Continental gets a higher rating occassionally). But if you read the comments, they usually hate Continental as well.

I travel primarily overseas, but I do a fair amount of domestic travel. My choices are usually the following:

Delta - a once great airline. Great connections to the South and Europe. Great rooms with internet (if I can get the people to stop playing games while we are waiting). Air France's room at CDG are very nice (the big one, not the small one). Some old and dirty planes.

Continental - I haven't had any problems. Terrible customer service. Clean planes.

United - great service to the West and Asia. I can fly USAir for FF miles (although they are always RJs). Great costumer service on the phone. Lousy rooms.

American - I love AA to Europe or Tokyo, but it is RJ City from Columbus. At 6'4, 250lbs, those RJs get old quickly. Iffy FAs. Never tried their rooms in U.S., but London's Admirical Club is nice.

Northwest - the least "nice" of the airlines, but a great upgrade policy. Lousy rooms. Some really old and dirty planes.

So, what is everyone's favorite airline?

I have been a Northwest and Delta flyer in all my not so frequent flying. And since my last flight with Delta, they are defiantly in my opinion my favorite airline :cool: . (for now...)

I'm sure everyone's got their own favorite. I used to be a fairly loyal DL customer. A combination of a few things made me run away, though. I try to fly mostly AA now because:

1. I can get a confirmed upgrade from virtually any fare using miles. On DL I'd have to buy an M+ fare to be able to confirm an upgrade. This means significant cost savings for me, especially internationally. And even though domestic upgrades on DL are now free, they're not confirmed at time of booking. I hate the suspense. :)

2. Power ports in coach. DL only has power ports in BE, not even in F.

3. MRTC. Having spent a couple of transcon flights in DL coach with my knees stuck in the back of the seat in front of me, I appreciate the extra couple of inches of room. Incidentally, I find that I can almost always get emergency exit seats with AA, and almost never could with DL. Hmm....

4. Type of plane on routes I fly most frequently. DL used to fly 767s with BE on my route (JFK-SFO) but now they're 757s. AA has 767 service here. A widebody is much more comfortable on a 5-hour flight.

5. DL's FF changes as of late mean that I don't get the same MQM as I used to on discount fares. If I can fly the same miles on AA and get Plat (equivalent to GM on DL) then why should I give my business to DL and only qualify for SM?

I haven't flown UA in many years, and I've only been on like one NW flight a few years ago. Haven't been on CO in many years either.

There is no such thing as a "good" US airline. They all offer the same thing...an average experience. After service cutbacks, employees who are now worked far more for less money and benefits (except for Southwest) it's no wonder we've got ourselves a fairly miserable industry. I fly US Airways and, for the most part, am satisfied. I don't like to connect and US gives me non-stops to every place I need to go except Austin. My only complaint about them is that the planes aren't as clean as they should be.

While the "best" U.S. airline can open endless possibilities for fascinating discussions, for a particular individual it boils down to what works best for *you* in your individual situation.

For instance, I love AA. Their program seems to be very good. I'd love to try it, but AA does not fly within 250 miles of my home, so that's out. Also, before AirTran bailed on VPS and went to PNS, they were an excellent choice for me, even if they did connect in ATL, they usually got through when ASA did not get through...but their frequent flyer program did not fit my personal stuation. So even though I liked them, I usually passed them by.

I'd say, whatever airline offers the best deal to wherever you fly, from wherever you fly from, THAT's the best one for you.

But just to keep things on track here, for me personally, my favorite airline (out of VPS, where I live) is Northwest. They have all-DC9 service, currently (no CRJs or turboprops), they connect in MEM (very few weather or ATR delays), and I get upgraded far more than I ever did or could on Delta. But again, that's just outta here, and only from my own travel scheds.